Once Upon A Time
by The Real F'n Scorp
Summary: "Let me tell you a story, dearie," he said to the sea witch. "It's about heroes and villains. And about how the villains are never supposed to get a happy ending." Post season 4 midseason finale. Slightly AU. *Complete*


**A/N:** Hello all and welcome!

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**S/N**: This one-shot is set after the season 4 midseason finale.

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><p>"So," he heard the silky voice of his Storybrooke counterpart, Mr. Gold say once the sea witch, Ursula, disappeared behind a door marked <em>Employees Only<em>. "You have finally been made to pay the price for using magic. You have finally been made to see that the rules apply to even the Dark One."

"I paid the price for using magic when Bae died," he replied in a voice that could have shattered ice. "But you are right. I have learned that the rules apply to even the Dark One. I have learned that not even _I_ am immune to the happily ever after curse."

Anybody who happened upon him would find him conversing with himself in the middle of an aquarium as strange, but Rumpelstiltskin did not think it the least bit bizarre. He'd done many unusual (and despicably cruel) things in his long life as the Dark One. And it wasn't like talking to himself even really ranked amongst the nuttiest of things that he'd allowed himself to do. In his mind, falling in love was the absolutely most insane thing that he'd ever allowed himself to do.

"You had your happy ending," he heard Gold rasp. "And you managed to lose it, Belle _and_ the dagger all at the same time."

"That was nothing more than a... miscalculation," Rumpelstiltskin replied as a sea turtle swam lazily by. For a moment he thought of Henry, of how the boy would find the magic that was in a place like this. His grandson was truly special in how he could find magic or good in anything. Or anyone. Even in someone like him Henry saw something other than a _crocodile_. He buried the slight pang of regret thinking of Henry inspired and said, "I did not anticipate Belle either finding the gauntlet, or figuring out how to use it. I assure you that I will not be so careless in the future."

"You underestimated Belle." Gold's image wavered as a stingray swam through him. "You have always underestimated her. And because of it you have lost her."

"I have not lost..."

"You have lost your happy ending because of your want to be free from the dagger."

"I assure you that I will have the happy ending that I deserve once I convince the _Author_ to rewrite mine and Belle's story."

"Love, if you will recall," Gold stated in a hot whisper, "is a delicate flame. One that once extinguished is gone forever. There is no potion to restore love once it has been lost."

"There is no potion to restore love that has been lost," Rumpelstiltskin agreed with a nod. "However, I am not after a tonic to restore love. Belle still loves me despite being quite angry with me. Anger," he said with a slight, dismissive wave of his hand. "That I can deal with once I return to Storybrooke."

"And therein is yet another mountain that you need to climb." Gold began to slowly pace in small, tight circles. More fish cruised by, completely oblivious to the figure gazing upon them. "Crossing over the town line banished you from Storybrooke. Unless Belle uses the dagger to call the Dark One to her…" Gold sniffed his opinion about how likely _that_ was. "I do not see how you will manage to return and beg her for forgiveness."

"We can return to Storybrooke as soon as the Author rewrites our story. With the flick of his pen across parchment he can undo everything that happened six weeks ago. It will be as if Belle never found the gauntlet, never learned the truth, never found out that she had the fake dagger."

Gold absorbed his words in silence. Rumpelstiltskin used the quiet to mentally prepare himself for his confrontation with the three Dark Queens. Ursula was but the first of the three dragons that he needed to confront, and was nowhere near the most temperamental of the women. That particular personality flaw belonged to Maleficent. He was watching an eel swim by when Gold finally spoke.

"So, tell me, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin allowed his gaze to flick over the reflection that was staring back at him from within the swirling aquarium glass. "How exactly does the sea witch and her two cronies figure into your grand plan of getting the Author to rewrite the Dark One's tale?"

"First," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Ursula is going to take me to whatever hovel that Cruella and Maleficent have been living in."

"And once you are face to face with the witches?"

"I will make a deal with them."

"And what deal do you think you can make with the Queens of Darkness?"

"I will give them the gauntlet in return for their help in procuring my happy ending."

"Ah, but dearie," his mirror image purred. "You're forgetting one very important thing."

"And what's that?"

"You're still a _villain. _And as Regina and Cruella both have pointed out to you, the villains are not supposed to get a..." a pause was punctuated by a slight curling of his lip and a simpering, "_Happy ending_."

"Oh, but I will," Rumpelstiltskin swore in one long breath. "I will have the happy ending I deserve once I convince the Author to rewrite mine and Belle's tale."

"Do you honestly believe that the _Author_ can be persuaded to give the Dark One a happily ever after?"

"He will, or I promise you, there will be suffering."

"And what about Miss Swan?" Gold pointed out in a hard whisper. "You know that Swan will go out of her way to ensure that you never reach the Author. She and the other heroes will do everything they can to make sure that you do not get your happy ending."

"That is why I am taking the Queens of Darkness along with me. While they distract the..." Rumpelstiltskin's lip curled. "_Heroes_, I will confront the Author. And I will," he said in a voice that crackled with dark intent. "_Persuade_ him that giving me the happily ever after that I deserve is in his best interest."

Gold looked like he was going to say something more, but footsteps announced that Ursula was returning. Rumpelstiltskin schooled his features before slowly turning to face the sea witch. In his mind, however, four teensy, tiny little words played in a never ending loop: _Once upon a time..._


End file.
